Wager-based gaming machines are tightly controlled. To prevent tampering with the components of the machines, such as the gaming controller, many of the components of the gaming machine are located within an interior space of the gaming machine. Access is provided to the interior, such as for maintenance personnel, via one or more access doors or panels. Generally, these access doors or panels are locked.
Many of the gaming machine components are relatively sensitive. As a result, maintenance personnel must be careful when opening and closing the access doors and panels to prevent damage to the gaming machine. For example, the access doors may be heavy and may support other components. If a user allows the door to swing open very quickly, it may hit another portion of the gaming machine and then cause damage to the gaming machine.
In some cases, damping mechanisms have been used to dampen movement of a gaming machine door, such as disclosed in U.S. Publication No. 2004/0018870. Existing gaming machine door controls such as this one have various drawbacks. One drawback is that the range of movement of the door may be greatly limited, such as to the travel distance of door shock. This can then limit access to the interior of the gaming machine, impeding maintenance personnel and the like.
An improved gaming machine door opening and closing control is desired.